9 Health Benefits of Not Drinking Alcohol Backed By…
Volpicelli says that some of the negative effects of alcohol on mental health can be reversed if you stop drinking. Even if you know that there are benefits to quitting alcohol, it does not mean that it’s easy to stop drinking—especially if you’ve been misusing alcohol for a long time. Regardless of your reasons for going alcohol-free, you’re likely to have urges or cravings at some point. You may even have a setback or slip and find yourself drinking again.
The Top 10 Benefits of Living Alcohol Free
Yes, drinking one glass of wine a day may improve heart health. But any more than that, and you’re looking at an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and so much more. You can’t afford heavy drinking or even just temporary binge drinking. What are some benefits of quitting for even just a month?
Alcohol-Free Life: How To Live Happy, Healthy And Sober
You can also consider couple or family therapy, support groups, or self-help books. Contrary to what you may think, going alcohol-free may put some strain on your relationships at first. Depending on how much and how often you’ve been drinking, you’re probably going to be a bit on edge at first and you may have a shorter fuse. So, we have to put back some of those helpful brain chemistry chemicals as it were.
Have you been thinking about taking a break from booze?
- Long term friendships are often made in recovery meetings too, and such friendships run deep.
- What matters most is your ability to maintain an open, curious outlook as you learn what does and doesn’t work for you.
- All your lives will probably go on the same downward spiral together.
- Although recovery can seem expensive, when compared to the cost of addiction, it’s well worth your time and effort.
- However, when alcohol makes up part of your typical routine, drinking can become something of an automatic response, especially when you feel stressed or overwhelmed.
Reducing the amount of alcohol you consume can help you to make better food choices and eliminate unnecessary calories and sugars from your diet. When you stop drinking, it can also reverse the negative effects alcohol has had on your cognitive functions like problem-solving, memory, and attention. Heavy drinking can actually cause the part of the brain that’s critical to memory and learning (hippocampus), to shrink. “Quitting drinking can improve a person’s sleep, but there may still be a significant number of people who continue to have sleep problems even with continuous abstinence,” Volpicelli says. Quitting alcohol won’t just protect your physical health—it can also improve your mental well-being. One of the most profound ways that alcohol affects you is through what it does to your body.
You’ll become acutely aware of social pressures to drink.
Louise Hay has, you know, this, the fantastic phrase, you can’t clean it, you can’t clean the house, and you can see the dirt. So, we actually do have to get the stuff out. And journaling is one of the quickest, easiest ways to do it, just write three pages in the morning of stream of consciousness stuff, just dump your thoughts down.
Examine alcohol health effects
Mindbodygreen states, “When you’repermanently sober, your choices are always your own; alcohol-free living meansnever waking up again crippled with regret and shame. And that is priceless.”Giving up alcohol is not only encouraging, but empowering, and will help improveyour overall self-confidence and happiness. Whether you’re going alcohol-free temporarily or as part of addiction recovery, social support can be a critical aspect of sticking with it. Mutual support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can be helpful, but some people don’t find the 12-step approach compatible with their beliefs and needs.
Freedom from physical dependency
Alcohol is more destructive than you know, particularly when you binge. There are innumerable health risks of drinking too much alcohol. After a week of not drinking, your sleep patterns improve. Alcohol disrupts REM sleep, and without it, you experience more restful sleep.
You’ll feel fantastically proud of yourself 🙂
So we decided to share all their responses with you. Alcohol can have an immediate, negative impact on your immune system, reducing its ability to fight off germs. Over time, alcohol can also reduce your body’s ability to repair itself. As alcohol intake is reduced, your immune system will alcohol free lifestyle begin to repair itself and strengthen, keeping you well. One study found that around 70% of participants had sleep problems when they were admitted for alcohol treatment. That number dropped to 50% when the participants went home, and many reported that their sleep quality got better after treatment.
Reasons Why You’ll Love Life Alcohol-Free
As you begin to notice those health benefits, you’ll likely feel more energized and inspired to keep up your progress. To stop drinking alcohol, you first need to understand your relationship with drinking. From there, you may need social support, consistent self-care, and new routines that can help redirect your mind. The thought of giving up alcohol or other https://ecosoberhouse.com/ drugs may scare you, especially if you live with drug addiction (substance use disorder). However, living a substance-free life comes with numerous benefits. If your loved one is struggling with mental health concerns and frequent alcohol consumption, encouraging them to seek help for their addiction and mental health may significantly improve their life.